1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a transmissive liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal layer which includes homogeneously aligned liquid crystal molecules.
2. Description of the Related Art
As regards a vertically aligned (VA) mode liquid crystal display device which has excellent display characteristics in a front viewing direction, like a twisted nematic (TN) mode liquid crystal display device, there has been proposed a technique of realizing wide viewing angle characteristics by applying a retardation film for compensating a viewing angle (see, e.g. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-099236).
In addition, there has been proposed a technique of fabricating a biaxial birefringence film which is applicable to a liquid crystal display device such as a super twisted nematic (STN) mode liquid crystal display device (see, e.g. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-181451).
In recent years, with respect to liquid crystal display devices which are configured such that a liquid crystal layer including homogeneously aligned liquid crystal molecules is held between a pair of substrates, there has been a demand for improvement of display quality, for example, an improvement in contrast and an increase in viewing angle. On the other hand, there has been a demand for reduction in thickness of the entire device and reduction in cost.